The Rev. Elias Bowen, D.D., was born on June 16, 1791 in Warwick, Massachusetts, the son of John and Sarah Briggs Bowen. He joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1814. Shortly afterwards Bowen entered the ministry, serving in central New York state and a single year, 1818, in Lower Canada (Quebec). He married Abigail Birdseye in 1821. The couple had eleven children.

At the time of his retirement in 1857, Bowen had served eighteen years in the itinerancy and twenty-four years as a Presiding Elder. During his ministry, Bowen was elected delegate to seven Methodist Episcopal Church General Conferences. He also served multiple terms as a Trustee of Cazenovia Seminary between 1824 and 1857. In August of 1846 Hamilton College conferred upon Rev. Bowen the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.

Bowen was a noted abolitionist among Methodists. He left the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1869 and joined the Free Methodist Church, believing that body to be more authentically Wesleyan. He died on October 25, 1870 at the age of 79. Abigail Bowen died in 1871.

Rev. Bowen’s published writings include several sermons and two monographs, Slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church (1859) and History of the Origin of the Free Methodist Church (1871).

Through personal letters, business correspondence, and additional papers, this collection documents the family life of Elias Bowen and his wife, Abigail Birdseye Bowen, and Rev. Bowen’s work as a minister and Presiding Elder in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Detailed Description of the Collection

Series 1:Family papers, 1803-1850

The first series contains letters received by Elias and Abigail Bowen from family members and from each other. The letters are organized in alphabetical order by the sender’s surname. Three additional documents are filed in this series. Two concern daughter Betsy Bowen, who died on February 5, 1825 at the age of 22. The third is a court record from 1803.

Box

Folder

1

01

Irene Birdseye letter to Elias Bowen, 1833 April 7

02

Irene Birdseye letter to Elias Bowen, 1833 August 31

03

John Birdseye letter to Elias Bowen, 1834 April 9

04

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1821 August 14

05

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1821 September 12

06

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1822 January 6

07

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1822 January 26

08

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1822 April 28

09

Levi Birdseye letter to Elias Bowen, 1823 April 5

10

Levi Birdseye letter to Elias Bowen, 1831 January 15

11

Levi Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1831 August 26

12

Ursula Birdseye letter to Abigail Bowen, 1822 January 30

13

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1820 October 23

14

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1825 August 14

15

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1826 April 17

16

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1831 May 3

17

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1849 July 21

18

Abigail Birdseye Bowen letter to Elias Bowen, 1850 May 14

19

Document: A few passages in Job transcribed by Betsy Bowen, undated, circa 1820-1825

20

Document: Betsy Bowen’s Last Will and Testament, 1825 February 8

21

Elias Bowen letter to Mrs. And Miss King, 1819 March 15

22

Elias Bowen letter to Abigail Birdseye, 1820 October 21

23

Elias Bowen letter to John and Sarah Bowen concerning the death of Betsy Bowen, 1825 February 8

Series 2:Ministerial papers, 1815-1867

The ministerial papers in this series begin with an undated sermon written by Elias Bowen. All other items are letters received by Rev. Bowen. The letters are filed in alphabetical order by the sender’s surname.